


splintering

by asarahworld



Series: Bigger on the Inside [20]
Category: Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Best Friends, Gen, Suicidal Thoughts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-12
Updated: 2019-12-12
Packaged: 2021-02-25 21:47:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 532
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21762451
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/asarahworld/pseuds/asarahworld
Relationships: Tenth Doctor & Donna Noble
Series: Bigger on the Inside [20]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/398203
Comments: 2
Kudos: 20





	splintering

The Doctor had just finished sending the TARDIS into the Time Vortex. “Well, I guess that’s enough adventures for the day, eh?”

“Doctor?”

Donna’s call had him spinning around back towards the console. “Or not! Tell you what, maybe this time we really will make it to that spa planet,” he rambled.

“Doctor,” she repeated his name impatiently. “I’m not going to some bloody spa planet, ta.”

“Right, well, er, you want to go home?”

Donna rolled her eyes and huffed. “Maybe it hadn’t been the best timing to say it, but I meant what I said. I do love you. And not just because you fought it off with a water pistol,” she said, a touch angrily that he wasn’t listening properly.

“Ah,” the Doctor ran his hand through his hair. “Right.”

“Look, you’re really the best mate I’ve had. So, yeah, I do love you,” Donna continued. “So I want to know if you’re really in a better place than when we first met or are you still, to put it bluntly, trying to off yourself?”

The Doctor froze. “Donna, I…”

“Just answer the question, Doctor. And I want the truth. Because you can’t be alone if you are, and I can’t stay with you if you’re lying.”

“Occupational hazard?”

“Don’t deflect the question,” Donna crossed her arms. “Or I’ll ask the TARDIS to take us to see Martha (because she’s quite literally amazing) and she’ll get the UNIT higher-ups involved. Said you’re sort of their employee.”

The Doctor sighed heavily. “You’ve already talked to her about this, haven’t you?”

“Course I have,” Donna jutted her chin defiantly. “She may have chosen to leave the TARDIS, but you’re still her friend. She cares about you. I care about you. In fact, I’d be willing to bet actual money that there’re a lot more people in the world, the bloody universe, that care about you.”

“Even if I did die, I’d just regenerate again,” the Doctor muttered.

“Not the point I’m making, Space Man,” Donna countered. “You need to let people help you. When my dad died… well, Mum’s not the same. Gramps had to plead with her just to see a counsellor. And she didn’t go very long. But she managed to stay long enough that she started processing her grief.” Donna angrily wiped away the tears that fell when she thought of her recently deceased father. “I reckon losing the one you love to a parallel universe feels about the same.”

The Doctor said nothing. 

“Not wanting to live can be just as dangerous as wanting to die,” Donna said stiffly.

“Well, I guess it’s a good thing I’ve got you onboard,” the Doctor said with forced cheer. “Weren’t you saying something about Planet of the Hats? You know, I think I’ve managed to find it. Go find your hatbox and we’ll take a look around, what do you say?”

“If you’ve landed us in the middle of a war again, Space Man…” Donna laughed loudly, overcompensating her enthusiasm, but she saw the Doctor crack a genuine smile. It was worth it, to see her friend starting to heal from the massive trauma he kept hidden from the universe.


End file.
